Changi Airport Group has teamed up with the Singapore Tourism Board and other major tourism players in a S$1 million (US$800,000) campaign to boost Chinese arrivals to the country, according to a report in The Straits Times.

The five-month marketing campaign, titled ‘Rediscover Singapore From Your Heart’, aims to promote Singapore as a destination in its own right, following a decline in Chinese passenger traffic over the past four months. Between January and May, Changi Airport handled 1.87 million passengers flying to and from China – down -1.7% against the same five months last year.

The report cited tourism experts who attributed the slowdown to events in the region such as the political instability in Thailand and the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. These have had an impact on Chinese tourists who typically visit Singapore as part of a package tour that includes other Southeast Asian destinations such as Malaysia and Thailand, The Straits Times added.

The campaign, which runs from now until October, is being backed by Resorts World Sentosa, Marina Bay Sands, Wildlife Reserves Singapore, Singapore’s Lex Travel as well as China’s five biggest travel agencies. Initiatives include roadshows in major cities in China, the report said.

Chinese visitors have been a key source of tourism spend in Singapore, overtaking Indonesian visitors as the biggest spenders in the first half of 2013. According to Singapore Tourism Board, the 1.24 million Chinese tourists spent almost S$1.52 billion (US$1.22 billion), excluding sightseeing and entertainment expenses.